Thomas Beddoes and Anna Beddoes to James Watt, 21 April 1802
Dear Sir
I am greatly obliged by your acct of Mr Boulton, of whom as you justly suspected I had received no acct. – I am sorry he has not begun the limewater & milk as well as the alkali – for lime-water has sometimes a very quick & salutary effect on the secreting surfaces of the kidney – However I will write to Dr Carmichael.
The stricture of the chest is new to me from the red sulfate of iron except when I give it as I sometimes do with advantage in consumption. I suppose you do not suffer it to touch your teeth. At all events I imagine it can only act by the excess of acid – Mrs Watt will easily be able, I would think, to compound between stomach and chest, if she will play a little fast & loose with the drops.
I get at least every week a new gout patient & all goes right – The effect of the medicine in occasion inflammation in the feet in the first instance is what pleases me most. I mean when the gout is flying about so it appears that by stopping at a certain point you may have a fine healthy fit – & by going on you may have immediate ease – & so far as experience yet goes with impunity – one invalid writes me ‘I began by taking a moderate glass full every quarter of an hour till the pain subsided which was about the 4th glass. I then ceased entirely till the pain was coming on again & now I required only 2 glasses. This process I did not repeat above twice in 24 hours & it kept away the pain totally’ –
Do you think a cot with a joint, as you proposed for Mr Boulton’s sofa, do well for fever-patients pleuritic – croup do?
Yrs truly
Thomas Beddoes
[In Anna Beddoes’s hand:] Doctor Beddoes has allowed me room for a few lines, just to return you and Mrs Watt my warm thanks for your very kind inquiries – this is such delightful weather that nobody ought to complain of any thing. I am very glad to hear Mr Boulton is better. With kind wishes to you & Mrs W I remain yr much obliged AMB.
Address: Mr Watt /Heathfield / Birmingham
Endorsement: Dr Beddoes / Apl 1802 / on Mr Boulton
Postmark: BRISTOL / APR211802
MS: LoB MS 3219/4/44/5